COAL
by Symbol of Life
Summary: Control Of All Legends: After being attacked, Ryou and Bakura seem to have things falling out of their favor. For example, what's with the guy who smells like blood and dog? 'No, no, this is NOT right. I am NOT dead.' AU. Some yaoi romance.
1. Prologue

_**Prologue:**_

* * *

A look of deep concentration was plastered across Bakura's face.

_'The signs had started with Joey, but... but it had started with Toya.'_ Bakura shook his head. He was running across the Domino city roof tops, at speeds inhuman, jumping each one with ease.

_'Ryou... Why did you do it?'_ Exactly what Ryou had done, could only be speculated, because before Bakura could elaborate for us, he stopped. Skidding to a halt on his heels, he slid, still standing upright, about three feet before coming to a complete halt at the edge of the building.

He slowly walked to the front and peered off the roof.

The man peered back at him. His eyes were pupil-less, just a smooth sheet of lilac. His hair, a messy, spiky bleach blonde, and his skin a beautiful golden hue, which Bakura could see even in the dim of this night, the time between daylight and streetlights. He was dressed in khakis and a black tank top. And he was smirking.

With a single bound, he jumped up onto the roof, and Bakura had to scramble backward to keep the man from landing on him.A scowl alight on Bakura's pale face as the man smirked down at him.

This man who bore a striking resemblance to Marik. Bakura continued to scowl- he wanted to know.

"Why Marik?" Bakura snapped, standing. The man blinked, and examined his fingernails.

"I'm not sure what you are talking about...," the man stated. There was a pause. "And think of me as Malik, not 'That Bastard'."

Bakura scowled again, keeping his eyes trained on his foe like Yami had said. Gods, he hated that midget. But he WAS occasionally useful.

"But you see, even your NAME sounds like his," Bakura muttered, backing up slightly. Malik matched each of his steps.

"...I like you. And believe me, that never bodes well for you," Malik said slowly. Bakura scowled again- and then was pinned to the floor of the rooftop.

"G'off you idiot!" Bakura said, struggling. But Malik had him pretty damn well pinned.

"Make me," the changling whispered, and licked Bakura's fang as it started to reveal itself.


	2. Ch2: Attack

_**Chapter Two: Attack**_

* * *

Outside, the street lights buzzed, and darkness enveloped the city like a warm blanket.

It was summer, and Ryou Bakura had just moved into his and his brother's new apartment in the small town of Domino, Japan.

Used to the busy streets of Tokyo, sleeping here seemed to be almost nauseating, as cars only occasionally buzzed by, and the street lamps (being more recent) buzzed a lot softer.

Suddenly, the street lights on Ryou's street went out completely. The pale boy rolled over. A soft, warm, gasoline scented breeze wafted through his window.

The creature loomed over the human boy, taking in the scent of him. Sweet Pea Blossoms and copper. Flowers and blood.

Ryou's eyes snapped open, and he let out a holler, which was quickly silenced with the creature's hand over his mouth. Grinning a fanged smirk, the creature leaned in, and cast a soft, cold breath against ryou's throat that tickled the sensitive hairs. Then he bit in.

Bakura had been up, in his room, unpacking. When he heard his brother scream, he immediately rushed to him. As he entered the room, it would appear a strange man, with raven hair and pale skin, was giving Ryou a hickey as the boy's eyes rolled back into his head.

"B-Bakura..." Ryou whispered, and then lost all control. His body went limp, and he all but offered himself up to the older man. That was not a motion performed by secret lovers.

So, Bakura grabbed the man by his hair and yanked him off Ryou. The man hissed at Bakura, and the smell of blood filled the his nostrils.

There is no way...

"YOU BASTARD!" Bakura threw his fist at him, but the creature caught it, twisted it around, and bit into it. Sucking softly, it hurt deeply, and made Bakura's brain go foggy.

But he could still think clear enough to kick. He kicked the man, and he let go, and stumbled backward. If this WAS a vampire, he was very weak.

"R-ryou, go get... a lighter..." Bakura demanded as fiercely as he could. Ryou tried to nod, found it hurt, and hissed himself, reaching to his bedside table and digging around for his lighter.

The creature pounced. Pinning Bakura to the floor, he licked his bloodied fangs. Bakura scowled.

"You can do whatever you want to me, but you DON'T hurt my BROTHER!" Bakura growled lowly. Ryou stumbled up, trying to hold his head straight, and as the vampire bit into Bakura's neck, he lit his shirt on fire.

After sucking for a good minute, he noticed the fire. Pulling away, the vampire let out a shriek of pain. In his mad struggle to get off Bakura, he scratched the teen up substantially. Bakura hissed to keep himself from crying out, as the man scrambled back for the window. And then he was gone.

The brother's looked at each other. Holding his neck, though it hurt dearly, Bakura stood and Ryou helped him. "Let's get you bandaged up," Ryou whispered.

"You first," was his brother's reply.

* * *

Three days later, Ryou winced as Bakura dropped the box of dinnerware unceremoniously on the linoleum kitchen tiles. A distinct tinkling was heard that reminded Ryou of breaking china.

"Bakura, watch it! We eat-" the lighter boy stopped himself and sighed, "ate, with those. We should still keep them in good condition!"

The mostly-ex-thief hissed. "Still not used to it, are you?" he asked quietly, eyeing the boy. "You haven't been able to keep anything down since 'the incident', as you call it. Wouldn't have any sustinance in you if it weren't for me," the dark told him, voice kept low.

"It wasn't sustinance! You force fed me BLOOD!" the pale teen shrieked. He'd never admit it, out loud OR to himself, but the boy was shaking with greedy lust, like a quaking little dead leaf, at the mere _thought_ of the crimson liquid. He swallowed painfully, forcing the salivia (or at least that's what he said it was) down his dry, parched throat. Bakura laughed.

"Brother, we're-" the darker of the two began, but was cut off by a loud rap on the apartment door, followed by three more in quick succession. Bakura exchanged a quick, nervous glance with Ryou, and then went and opened the door.

Standing n their door step was a slightly scruffy young man, their age, with blonde hair that just barely fell over soft brown eyes. He carried a pained expression of immense annoyance.

"Hello, is this the residence of the Bakura brothers, Ryou and Bakura?" he asked, half drawling in a bored, speech-like manner. Ryou blinked and exchanged another glance with his brother.

"Yes," Bakura said simply. the blonde graced them with an uneasy smile.

"Name's Joey Wheeler, can I come in. I need to talk with you two in private," the teen said, and Ryou and Bakura exchanged on last glance. Ryou's eyes silently pleaded, causing Bakura to scowl.

"Now, but we can talk. Ryou, go work on your room," Bakura spoke in a slightly annoyed monotone. The boy called Joey raised an eyebrow and smiled slightly as Ryou scuttled off to his bedroom in the knowledge that Bakura would tell him if it was anything important.

And besides that, the coppery smell of blood and dog rolling off Joey was just too much.

"Awright, fine. I heard you and your brother were attacked the other night, and your conversation a minute ago-" Joey began, staring into Bakura's rusty red eyes. Bakura grabbed him by the neck and dragged him up to eye level, glaring. Joey didn't even blink.

"How did you find out about us being attacked? We never reported it, and-" he paused. "And I don't know WHAT you think you know, but you listen here, we are NOT dead," Bakura hissed, pointy canines bared. Joey smiled slightly and placed each of his hands over Bakura's fists, incidentally clutching his shirt collar.

"I think you're thirsty. I brought you something," he said, taking his right hand to remove a flask from his pocket. The flask was filled with a deep red liquid not unlike thick wine.

Bakura snatched it from him, eyes flashing greedily, and dropped the boy to the ground. joey continued to smile despite landing hard on his back in the doorway. Bakura caustiously removed the stopper as though it might disappear, and sniffed it. The sweet scent of blood filled the white haired teen, causing his head to reel and his stomach to fall out.

"There's more. Gallons we can give you and your brother, disguised if you like. I'm a part of a secret organization. You two were attacked three days ago by a man named Toya, yes?" Joey said in a low voice, sta nding back up. Bakura watched him warily, reduced to instinct by hunger. The boy closed the front door, walked over, pulled the cork from Bakura's hand and stuffed it back into the flask's top. "Can we talk now, sir Vampire?"


End file.
